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:Noms `A DKINS, on D ANBUnY, CONNECTICUT. Leners Parent No. 71,436, dans 'November 2c, 1867.

v y'IMIROVEIYIENT IN STAIRS.

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.T0 ALL WHOM IT MAY CON CERN:

Be it known that I, Noms ADKINs, of Danbury, in the county of Fairiield, andin the State of Connecticut,

have'invented a new and useful Improvement in Stairs, constructed so as to be elastic, by the` use of suitable springs; and I do herebyl declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactcleseription thereoireierenceA being had to theoccompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, in which4 Figure 1 is aside elevation, and

Fignre 2 is a sectional view, showing the springs.

The nature of my invention consists in making a hinged spring step for stairs, thlis giving elasticity to the step of' a person in ascending the stairway, as hereinafter more fully'described. p To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construcf tion and operation. i

` In the 2011Sl'1Cti0 `0f my invention, in iig. 1, .A rcpl'esentsa Hight of steps made as any ordinary night of `stnirs are made, to which is applied my invention; ze a a, the hinged spring step; 6 b b b the hinge, and e e c c the springs.' When wish to apply my invention to vany ordinary night of stairs, I Ineke a false or `additional top L fof step, a, 'which maybe lighter than the step, crtcipv 0f the step when my invention` is not used.` I then attach to it, at each end, by means of screws, a strip oi metal, @passing but one screw through each hinge, on which screw, in each end of the step, the hinge b turns. The other end of the strip or hinge la is attached irmlyfv tothe stringere, with two or more screws, as seen atb, in tig. 1. The springs c c may be made of the most!"` 'convenient spring toV accomplish the object; they may be either of metal'or rubber. I have used various foims l! o f springs, the elliptic and thecoiled spring; In making the steps when new, the top maybe made to'ii'te'rel4 p t l: :friser or frame ofthe stairway with -placing only a thin board, nt the top of the 'stepfover which the swinging step is made to fit.

In the operation of my invention, it willbe seen that when the step `is hinged tothe stringerwith the i hinge b, and the spring is attached to it, as `in the second step from the bottom `of.A the stairs, or attachedV te i thetop board or step, :is in thc iirst step'froln the licor, the steps a a a aremade to rise up from half an@`- inch .or more, so `that when the person, in ascending the stairs, treads on the step a, it immediately yields and ispressed downto the tension ofthe spring, und as the weight is being lifted from the step, the spring' at once reacts and gives force to and aids in ascending, thus greatlyhelping the person toaseend.. The ten-` between the next step and the one about to be relieved of the weight on it. lThus persons ascending wllb aided by my invention to do so, as the tension of the spring will be sufcient. Aged' and iniirinpersons w1ll be much helped, also, in ascending a flight of stairs.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure Vby Letters Patent, is The combination of the step a, hinge b, and spring c, forming an elastic hinge-spring step, constructed p `substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.'

lIn testimony that I claim the above-described invention for spring stairsLI have hereunto signed my name, t

this 17th day of September, 1867.

Witnesses Lnvr Osnoimn, Tnnononn MeDonALD.

Noms Annins. 

